Random thoughts from a few cantankerous American physicians. All contributors are board certified. Various specialties are represented here. I do not know where this will lead but hope it will at least be an enjoyable read. All of the names mentioned in this blog are pseudonyms, the ages have been changed, and in half the cases the gender as well. All photographs are published with patient consent or are digitally altered to preserve anonymity. Trust us, we're doctors.

Your ad here...

Contact us for rates.

Sponsored Sites

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

I know we all wonder WTF when unexpected stuff happens, but thought this was worth passing on. Last Jan we had huge snow storms and our dogs are contained by an underground fence which is great. But the snow was so deep, that my oldest dog(12+) got over the fence on a snow drift and, not knowing where he was, wandered on to the only major road near us and was hit by a car. Luckily the people stopped, got him in a blanket, it was about minus 10, and called the phone # on his collar. He was only a little way from us. Got to him quickly and as I picked him up, I could tell his pelvis was broken. (He never wimpered, so I guess his pain scale was 0/10) We took him to an Emergency Vet clinic(it was about 11PM) and a teenage vet saw him, took xrays,(only saw 1 of his 3 pelvic fx's, which were bilateral acetabular blowouts and iliac wing on the right) gave him pain meds, wanted him to stay in the hopsital and have an ortho-vet see him. Well, I'm an Oldfart remember, so I wasn't about to spend 5 or 6 grand on a dog no matter how much my son and I cried. So we decided to take him home and let nature take it's course. So we had to sign out "AMA".

2 days later, the door bell rang and an officer(Sheriff) was at he door. Says the vet place had reported our leaving AMA and he had come to check on the dog (who was lying on his bed right by the fireplace with all the comforts of home he ever dreamed of). He said they do this on all "AMA's" from vets. Can you believe that?!! WTF!! Does your hospital go check on your AMA pts? I've never been in one that has! WTF our tax $$ at work!

(BTW, the old dog is just fine, just can't hunt anymore although he wants too).

I know it was certainly for animal cruelty reasons..But let me assure you we told the vet every thought we had and that I was an ED doctor, etc We love this dog just like each of you love yours. A 6'6" man crying like a baby trying to make this decision should have made our decision fairly obvious to the "vet" that this decision was not made lightly and made with the utmost in empathy and knowledge(my cousin is the current president of the American Vet Assoc and he was consulted at the time by me) Just like putting a no code on my Dad several years ago.My real point was how my local "govt" spent $$ on following up this "leaving AMA" on an animal was treated so differently from a human being doing the same thing..

I once had the same thought as 911. It was several months ago, and after some intense therapy and much alcohol, I am nearly myself again. You, too, will recover.

I would worry if it happens again. Such a thing appears to be quite dangerous, though the side effects have never been fully explored, due to the fact that nobody has ever been known to survive having the same thought as 911 twice.

I've been in veterinary practice for seven years, and have never heard of anyone checking on any of my patients, though I have reported a couple of cases for what I just HAD to call criminal neglect (refusal of both treatment and euthanasia for painful or dangerous condition resulting in intolerable suffering - like, owner insisting on leaving with pet with open fractures and so on). That's just weird.

I have never heard of the American Vet Association. Is your cousin Greg Hammer of the AVMA???? Oooh, a brush with fame...